What was it

420 children across 7 local schools in the Teignmouth Community in Devon (6 Primaries and 1 Secondary) worked with local musician and music teacher, Kip Pratt, and artist, Sara Downham-Lotto on the collaborative project Musical Art and the Art in Music.

The Devon school children enjoyed two half-day workshops during which they learnt about the cross-over connections between art and music. They created collaborative murals designed in response to music which was both recorded and live. Using a range of instruments which included a saxophone, piano, guitar, trombone, cello and bassoon, pupils composed their own music to accompany their artwork.

The project culminated in an exhibition, at Teignmouth Community School’s art centre, with pupils’ artwork being displayed to music they had newly composed. Open to the public, visitors were able to roam freely through creative displays allowing them to enjoy a truly memorable visual and aural experience.

Over 150 pupils, from schools within the Teignmouth Learning Community, attended the exhibition.

What students got out of it

• Learnt how to create art in a new way, experimenting with different materials
• Learnt about cross-over connections between art & music (rhythm, pattern, mood, texture, colour)
• Learnt about other visual artists who have been influenced by music
• Developed an understanding of abstract art & music & an expansion of visual & aural experience
• Gained in confidence & an ability to break out of the mould
• Enhanced their communication skills through collaboration, critique and discussion about what does/doesn’t work
• Experimented with thinking outside of the box & finding individual voice
• Given the creative freedom to make individual interpretations (art to music/ music to art)
• Composed music in response to visual material

Funding

Many thanks to The Helen Foundation (THF) for funding the project, plus the retiring Mayor of Teignmouth, David Matthews, who made significant contributions.